Mihama Six
The Mihama Six is a folding camera for 6×6 or 6×4.5 on 120 film, produced by Mihama (or Suruga) from 1952 until 1957. There are a number of models: all control film advance via a red window on the back, and every model but the very last has a 75mm f/3.5 lens. At least in the early days, and perhaps also until the end, the body of the Mihama Six was manufactured by Takane. Mihama does not seem to have been a lens maker, and "Mihama" lenses can be presumed to have been a mere matter of branding. The first Mihama Six was released in 1952 by Mihama Seikō (三浜精工株式会社). At first glance it may appear to be a rangefinder camera, but instead it has two viewfinders, one for 6×6 and the other for 6×4.5. It has been observed with either a Mihama or a Seriter lens, and with an NKS shutter (B, 1–200) and possibly also some alternative shutter. The Mihama Six II (1953) added a sliding control for the viewfinder. It had a Mihama lens and an NKS shutter (B, 1–200). The Mihama Six IIIA (1954) — from Suruga Seiki (駿河精機株式会社) rather than Mihama — added a depth-of-field scale; it has been observed with either a Mihama lens or a Kepler triplet lens, and either an NKS shutter (B, 1–200) or an NKS-FB shutter (B, 1–300). The Mihama Rhyme Six I (1954) had a single viewfinder but added a non-coupled rangefinder. Viewing the camera from the front (as if being photographed by it), we see the viewfinder to the left and the rangefinder is to the right: the reverse of the usual arrangement. It came with either a Tri-Lausar lens (from Tomioka) or a Kepler lens. The Mihama Rhyme Six II (also 1954) switched around the positions of the viewfinder and rangefinder. The Mihama Six R (1955) was a Rhyme Six II with a Toko lens (from Tōkyō Kōgaku) and either NKS-FB or Copal shutter (B, 1–300). An advertisement in the January 1955 issue of Shashin Salon offers the IIIA for ¥9800 and the R for ¥15,300. The Mihama Six S (also 1955) was a major improvement, with a coupled rangefinder and unit focusing. The lens was either a Kepler or a Toko, the shutter either NKS-FB or Copal MX (B, 1–300). An advertisement in the June 1955 issue of Shashin Salon offers it for ¥14,000. The Mihama Six S2 — 1957, from Mihama Kamera (ミハマカメラ株式会社) — had a brightline finder, a Lausar 80mm f/3.5 lens and shutter speeds of B, 1–400. An advertisement in the August 1957 issue of Shashin Salon offers it, complete with case and flashgun, for ¥13,000. Sources / further reading *''Asahi Camera'' (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10〜40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7 In Japanese only. Pp. 198–9, 306–7, 369–70, 408. *Hagiya Takeshi (萩谷剛). "Mine Shikkusu: Gunma-ken Takasaki-shi no kameramēkā" (ミネシックス：群馬県高崎市のカメラメーカー, Mine Six: A camera-maker in Takasaki, Gunma). Chapter 7 of Zunō kamera tanjō: Sengo kokusan kamera jū monogatari (ズノーカメラ誕生：戦後国産カメラ10物語, The birth of the Zunow camera: Ten stories of postwar Japanese camera makers). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1999. ISBN 4-257-12023-1 In Japanese only. First published in issue 27 (December 1993) of Kamera rebyū Kurashikku kamera senka (カメラレビュー・クラシックカメラ専科). (Source for the claim that the body of the Six was manufactured by Takane.) *''Supuringu kamera de ikou: Zen 69 kishu no tsukaikata to jissha sakurei'' (スプリングカメラでいこう: 全69機種の使い方と実写作例, Let's try spring cameras: The use of and actual examples from 69 varieties). Tokyo: Shashinkogyo Syuppan-sha, 2004. ISBN 4879560723 In Japanese only. On pp. 126–7, Kawamata Masataku (川又正卓) writes up his Six IIIA. Links * Mihama Rhyme Six Japanese text, with pictures * Mihama Rhyme Six sample photos * Mihama Six Model II Japanese text, with pictures * Mihama Six Model II repair: Japanese text, with pictures and sample photos * Mihama Six at Bob Monaghan's site * Mihama Six Model II Japanese text, with pictures and sample photos Category: 6x6 folding Category: 6x6 rangefinder folding Category: Japan Category: M